Windstar Cruises resumes operation after COVID pause

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Windstar Cruises has resumed operation on the water with the first voyage aboard the four-masted yacht Wind Star completing her first seven-day cruise last week. The sailing operated roundtrip from Athens and explored the Greek Isles, visiting Nafplio, Monemvasia, and Patmos, as well as Santorini and Mykonos. Windstar plans for the yacht to sail the itinerary on near-weekly dates through October.According to Windstar Cruises’ website, Wind Spirit and Star Legend will return to service on 7 October 2021 in Tahiti and Barcelona, respectively, and Star Pride from St. Maarten on 13 November 2021.

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The US-based cruise company is returning to operations in a phased manner, with its fleet of six yachts debuting on various dates through November. All passengers require a COVID vaccine, and Windstar has a host of health and safety precautions in place, including testing, social distancing, masks, and high-tech air filtration. All of Windstar’s crew aboard Wind Star were vaccinated, and Windstar is ensuring that crew are vaccinated on all Windstar yachts when they begin sailing on revenue cruises with guests. Windstar said it was among the first cruise lines to require vaccinations for guests, with a goal of full crew vaccinations.

Renewed trade focus

Earlier this month, Windstar Cruises announced an expansion of its trade-focus with a number of promotions and recruits in the United States to better build travel agency partnerships. “Travel agency sales are our largest sales channel and paramount to our business and our guests,” said Steve Simao, Windstar’s Vice President of Sales. “As we expand and chart a course for the future with our ‘new’ all-suite yachts, we are also committed to finding new ways to help travel advisors earn higher commissions and to better serve and support travel agencies in selling our unique brand of small ship cruising.” The cruise line promoted its Regional Sales Manager Dianna Rom to Director of Field Sales at Windstar, a role that will see Rom dedicated to leading the field sales team’s sales support of travel agency sourced business. Windstar has also promoted Richard Terek and Chad Smith from the reservations vacation planning team to the sales team as Business Development Representative. Both will work with Regional Sales Managers, and their primary focus will be on the travel agencies and travel advisory “new to Windstar” and smaller accounts. In addition, Caron Clay has been recruited as a new Regional Sales Manager, based in Los Angeles covering the Western United States. Clay joins Windstar from Princess Cruises, where she spent the last 21 years as their Business Development Manager in California.

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